Why School Rankings May Help You Get Into a Better College

Friday, February 24, 2012

Cristiana Quinn, GoLocalWorcester College Admissions Expert

Each year, parents ask me how much the strength of their high school matters in the college admissions process. Do colleges really value grades more from one school than another? The answer is both yes and no. Colleges don’t want to disadvantage students from economically deprived school districts, and some elite colleges tend to favor the most outstanding students from those schools. However, kids from stronger performing schools often see better college acceptances overall. And while high school rankings don’t paint the whole picture when evaluating a school, they do underscore some critical issues.

Colleges Want Students Who Will Succeed

High schools are required to file school profiles to colleges each year when a student submits an application. The profile details how many students take the SAT and the mid 50% range for scores, how many students fall into each GPA level, the types of AP courses that are offered, how many students go on to a 4 year college, and where last year’s class matriculated. For college admissions officers, these items paint a picture of the quality of the school and student preparedness for college. Since colleges are very concerned about attrition rates, these factors are very important (the national freshman-sophomore college attrition rate hovers around 25%). High schools that have more AP courses, higher SAT scores and more students going to 4 year colleges, give admissions officers the confidence to say “yes” more often.

SAT Scores Count

While about one quarter of 4-year colleges in the U.S. have become SAT/ACT optional, most have not. And grade inflation is still a topic of national debate. According to the U.S. Dept. of Education, approximately 38% of 12th graders graduate with an A average. Colleges question that staggeringly high number. The rigor of a biology class in one school district can differ incredibly from the rigor in another. SATs (or ACTs) often become the “level playing field” for colleges to assess students and make admission decisions. Then once accepted, SATs or ACTs can play a role in how much merit aid you receive. Even at SAT/ACT optional colleges, test scores are sometimes required in order to be considered for scholarships.

Spending Per Pupil Matters

Spending per pupil can translate into attracting top teachers with higher salaries, but it can also mean a wider variety of student services and better extra-curricular activities. In today’s age of competitive college admissions, extra-curricular activities are often a defining factor. Recruited athletes have an edge, but so do talented artists, musicians, actors, debate team captains and student council presidents. If a school cuts clubs, athletic teams or funding for the arts, it can hurt a student’s chances for admission to college and scholarship dollars--TREMENDOUSLY. Student services are also critical, in the form of learning disability resources and tutoring programs. Children who struggle in school CAN and DO succeed when they receive the right help, but without assistance, they often fail to get into college or stay there once accepted.

Rankings aren’t the “end all” in choosing a school for your child. They won’t tell you where teachers stay after school to help struggling students or lend an ear to a teen who is being bullied. But they can and should play an important role in your evaluation of how well a school can prepare your child for college. Without the right resources and funding, it’s hard to graduate competitive students who gain acceptance to top colleges and receive adequate financial aid packages.
Cristiana Quinn, M.Ed. is the founder of College Admission Advisors, LLC which provides strategic, individual counseling for college-bound students and their families http://www.collegeadvisoronline.com.

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